Implementing the next generation of mobile communication standards will require improving system capacity and spectral efficiency in order to increase data transmission rate beyond current levels. For example, Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) is a current topic focused on technologies to further evolve the Long Term Evolution (LTE) air interface in terms of spectral efficiency, cell edge throughput, coverage, and latency. In addition to improving the LTE air interface, another important consideration is designing a communication system compatible with both LTE and LTE-A equipment.
For example, LTE networks employ packet-scheduling, which dynamically allocates resources to mobile communication device through time and frequency domain scheduling over a shared physical control channel. Current LTE networks, however, are unable to support mobile communication device having higher bandwidth capabilities than LTE mobile communication device. Thus, a network capable of supporting mobile communication devices with different bandwidth capabilities and/or mobile radio technologies is desired.